Role of Rural Built Environment in Travel Mode Choice: Evidence from China

Abstract

Although the built environment–travel connection has been extensively examined in urban settings, the evidence from rural and small towns is still scarce. This paper addresses the gap. Using national-level survey data from 119 rural towns throughout China, multinomial logit models are employed to analyse the influence of the built environment on travel mode choice in rural towns. The results show that close proximity to county centres, high-quality roads and convenient access to bus stops tend to reduce car dependence. Small-scale, compact, and mixed land use encourage walking and public transport use. The built environment variables, in particular, exert a stronger influence on mode choices for shopping trips than for commuting trips. The results suggest that spatial planning for land use and transport network would be an effective way of shaping greener travel behaviour in China's rural areas.

Keywords: Built environment, travel mode choice, rural towns, China